November 17: Denver, Colorado

On this date in 1858 the city of Denver in Colorado was founded. Here are a few things you might not know about the Mile High City.

1. The first arrest for Marijuana possession and selling occurred in Denver, Colorado on October 2, 1937 – but in 2005 it became the first city to to legalize the adult use of marijuana.
2. Its nickname is Mile High City, because its official elevation above sea level is one mile. That's an average, I guess – in fact, the 13th step of the state capital building in Denver is exactly a mile above sea level.
3. There are some seriously weird theories surrounding Denver's airport, which, at 53 sq. miles is larger than Manhattan, San Francisco, and Miami, and is the second largest airport in the world. Conspiracy theorists have a field day, noting that the runway layout is shaped like a swastika, the murals are strange and include a scary Nazi officer, Masonic symbols, the fact that no-one really knows why the airport cost as much money to build as it did. One theory is that there are miles of secret bunkers under it. If all that wasn't enough, just outside the airport is a huge sculpture of a Blue Horse with glowing red eyes, which has been nicknamed “Blucifer” by locals. It's 32 feet tall and some say it's cursed. In fact, it killed its creator before it was even taken out of the studio. It fell on 66-year-old Luis Jimenez and severed an artery in his leg. If all this is putting you off flying from there, fear not - Denver airport employs a team of 15 therapy Dogs to help calm anxious travellers.
4. The horse isn't the only giant blue animal statue in town. There's also a big blue Bear which is 40 feet tall and located outside the Convention Center, looking in through the windows. It was designed as a whimsical addition to an otherwise dull conference centre and created by Lawrence Argent. There's more weird art. Outside the Denver Center for the Performing arts are two six-story-tall white aliens, designed to look as if they are perpetually dancing. There's even constant music - five speakers set into the base of the sculpture continually playing Let’s Dance, a song specially composed, performed, and recorded by Jonathan Borofsky and Samuel Conlogue. There's also a 50ft high sculpture in Yellow that looks like a pile of French Fries and a Red one that looks like a pile of sausages.
5. It is illegal to loan your Vacuum to your neighbour in Denver.
6. Denver is unusual because, unlike most cities, it wasn't built around a road, railway, river or other body of Water. It is where it is because Gold was found there in 1858. The first permanent structure in Denver was a saloon. Later on, there were three cities in the area, one of which was Denver. The other two cities incorporated with Denver in exchange for a barrel of Whiskey. So the local legend says, anyway.
7. Denver is the only city to turn down the opportunity to host the Winter Olympics. Residents voted against it due to fears about pollution and a population boom.
8. The Cheeseburger was patented in Denver by Humpty Dumpty Barrel Drive-in owner, Louis Ballast, on March 5th, 1935. The restaurant is no longer there, but there's a stone marker where it used to be.
9. Denver is home to the longest continuous street in America - Colfax Avenue, and the largest city park system in the nation. There are 205 parks in the city itself and another 20,000 acres in the nearby mountains.
10. The altitude and dryness of the air mean baseballs can dry out and become lighter, making it easier for players to hit home runs. Hence the balls have to be kept in humid conditions inside the stadium.

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